Greenhouse roof support



Oct. 31, 1933. P. L. M KEE GREENHOUSE ROOF SUPPORT Filed June 5, 1931 J /zzaLi/Ycfliez W mm, @120: May

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT; ()FFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to greenhouse roof supports, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved roof support having a gutter provided therein, the roof support being madein sections and spliced in a particular manner so that it is impossible for any water carried by the gutters or drains in the supports to seep into the splice and causedeterioration of the roof support at the splice.

A further object is'to provide a roof support or rafter having a drain provided therein, which support or rafter is capable of being made in sections and splicing the various sections together, the splice being made so that the water draining from one part of the rafter will not seep into the splice and cause deterioration of the rafter at the splice. V A further object of the invention is to provide a jointed roof support whereby a particular splice is made at the joints to prevent water carried by. the support from seeping into; the joint, and whereby sections between joints can be made of different dimensions and thickness and still permit the water carried" in gutters provided in 'the roof members to drain off properly.

Numerous other objects and advantages will beapparent. throughout the progress of the following specification. I

. The accompanying drawing illustrates a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a detail sectional view of a greenhouse and embodying the invention.

. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of a roof support or rafter and having the invention applied thereto. 7 r

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 3 3of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the rafter made in sections of different sizes and showing the manner in which therafters are supported by the side walls of the greenhouse and by intermediate supports arranged at the joints or splices} Referring to the drawing, 5 designates a greenhouse which is preferably constructed in accordance with the greenhouse disclosed and claimed in the copending application, Serial No.1542,756, filed June '8, 1931, and allowed February-13, 1933. The greenhouse has roof supports 6 which have their upper ends supported and operatively connected to a longitudinal ridge bar '7; The roof supports or rafters 6 are preferably made in a plurality of sections as indicated by the numerals 8. The sections may be spliced together at various places as indicated at 9. Thelower ends of the supports or rafters 6 are supported by the foundation walls 10 of the greenhouse, and intermediate supports or columns 11 may be positioned at suitable intervals, if required, and particularly if the greenhouse is relatively wide.

The upper ends of the rafters are fitted to the longitudinal ridge bar as indicated at 12,.Fig. 2, and a cap 13 is provided over the top of the ridge bar to prevent water from entering the joint 12. A bottom plate 'l l may also be provided and secured to the rafters 6 and the ridge bar 7 for the purpose of holding these members in position and adding rigidity thereto.

The supports or rafters 6 have outwardly extendingledges 15, Fig. 3, to support the glass 16. The rafters may be shaped inwardly as designated at 1'7 to provide a gutter 18 to drain off any water which may come in contact with the rafters. A ledge 19 projects upwardly fromthe widened or flanged bottom portion 20 of the rafters'for the purpose of making the gutters relatively deep.

It is impracticable and sometimes utterlyinipossible to make the, rafters in one piece, particularly in connection with an offset roof as shown in Fig. 1. Also, it adds considerably to the cost of the rafters if they are made in one piece. Therefore it is desirable, both from an economical standpoint in construction .and also in shipping, that the rafters bemade in a plurality of sections. Difficulty has been encountered heretofore in providing a joint between the various sections as the water in the gutters would get into the joint or splice and causerapid deterioration of the rafters at the joints. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a new, and novel joint whereby it is impossible for the water which drains from one section to another section-to get into the joint or splice. The splice consists in varying the location of the gutter in one section relative to the gutter inits companion or adjacent section, and also by having the gutter inthe upper section rabbeted below the gutter in that section for the purpose of receiving a tongue provided in the lower companion section. In Fig. 2 the rafterfi shows a pair of sections 8 which are the same size incross-section, thereby making the tops and bottoms of each sec tion flush. However, in the upper sectionthe gutter is located a distance above the base, while the gutter 18 in the lower section is relatively closer'to. the bottom as shown inFig. 2. Thus, water passing down the gutter in the top section 8 will drop into the gutter in the lower section. However, if the splice, as indicated by the numeral 21, were cut straight across, the draining water.

would enter the splice. The upper section 8 is rabbeted as indicated at 21 to receive the projecting tongue 22 on the lower adjacent section. Thus, any water passing down the gutter in the upper section will fiow directly into the gutter in the lower section,. it being impossible for the Water to find its way into the joints,which are indicated by the numerals 23. a

In order to brace the rafters at the splices 23, front to rear supports 24 may be provided. These supports are preferably made of ordinary metal. pipe and are supported by straps 25 which may be held in position by screws 26 engaging the wooden sections. It is preferable, however, that a plate 27 be interposed between the upper side of the pipe and the bottom of the raftersfor thepurpose of providing strengthening means at the joint or splice. Also, if desired, an" outer plate 28' may be connected to adjoining rafters as shown in Fig. 2. The longitudinal pipes 24 may carry fittings 29 at certain intervals which fittingly receive the upper ends of the supporting'columns 11. Each fitting 29 may be spliced as indicated at 30 and the parts held together by a bolt and nut connection 31.

In'Fig. 4 an uppersectionB-is smaller in crosssectional area than its cooperating adjacent lower section 8. In this latter embodiment the section 8' is rabbeted at 32 to receive a tongue 33 on the section 8", the splice having an inclined edge'3 i so that the bottoms of" each section will be even as well as the tops thereof. However, these sections may be reversed so that the larger heavier section is above the lower section, if' desired. However; regardless of the positioning of these sections, the gutter 18 in the upper section must be located above the gutter 18 in the lowersection so that water carried by the upper section will flow into the gutter' of the lower section.

The usual front to rear pipesupports 2'4- may be supported in position as previously described relative to Fig. .3 and are supported by the columns or supports 11. The lower ends of the bottom sections 8 or8" are supported and fixed to a cap 35 which is carried by the side Walls 10. Upper'and lower angle braces 36 and 37 respectively are fastened to the sections and to the cap as shown in Fig. 4;

Theinvention provides a new and novel greenhouse construction in which theroof supports or rafters are made in sections andspliced together, each section carrying a gutter, the upper gutters in the upper sections; however; bei'ng located above the guttersin the-lower sections so that water carried by these gutters will drain down to the sides of the building and not enter the splices and cause deterioration of the rafters at the splices; A greenhouse constructed in accordance with the invention can be made considerably cheaper than conventional gree houses and the particular splice construction employed prevents water carried by the rafters from getting into the joints or splices and causing deteri'oration of the rafters as well as preventing water from dripping down into the greenhouse.

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and" arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing'any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as member having-a cut-out therein for receiving a tongue on a lower adjacent member, each of said m'embers provided with gutters formed in opposite sidesthereofi, the gutters in an upper member being located in a plane above the gutters in a lower adjacent member whereby an offset gutter is provided for the roof support, permitting waterin anupper gutter to draininto" the lower gutter;

'3. A roof support comprising a pair 'of' mem bers spliced together, one member being locatedabove another member, a longitudinal gutter formed in the upper member and located apre determined distance from the bottom of said member, said member having an end'rabbeted at a point below the gutter, said second member having a gutter located a certain distance above the bottom; said distance being less than'the distance between the first named gutter and the bottom of said first named member, a tongue on said second member and engaging the rabbet inthe first named member, said tongue having a gutter coextensive with the gutter in the second member and extending beyond the gutter in the'end of the first member'whereby water carried by the gutter in the first member will drop into the gutter in the second member and be prevented from entering the joint between said two members.

. 4. A roof support comprising a memberhaving a bottom ledge, said ledge being grooved to' fornr a gutter, a second member adjacent said first named. member and alsojhaving abottom ledge, the ledge on said second member being narrower than the ledge on the first member, said ledge on the second member also provided with a groove therein forminga gutter, the ledge on the second member extending into the ledge in. the first member but. below the. gutter in the first member whereby water in thefirst named gutter will drop. down. into the gutter in. the second member.

5; A spliced roof support comprising a pair of roof members spliced together, each ofsaid members having lower side ledges, the ledges of one member being narrower than the ledges of the other member, grooves in both of said ledges and forming offset gutters arranged one above. the other whereby water carried by the gutter in' one ledge will drain into the gutter in the. narrower ledge;

6; A spliced roof support comprising aplurality of roof bar members of different cross-sectional area, said members being located at an angle and spliced together, said splice being constructed and. arranged so that the tops and bottoms of said members will be flush, gutters formed in bothv of said members, the gutter of one member being located above the gutter in the other member and' gether and lying at a downward inclination with respect to the horizontal, each of said bars having a vertical side ledge, there being grooves formed in said ledges and providing gutters, the ledge of one bar being smaller in dimension than the ledge of the other bar, the gutter in one bar draining in the gutter in the other bar.

' PHILIP L. MCKEE. 

